Crystal Cavern
by TimTrainsDragons
Summary: Ben realized he loved Mal in the shadow of a waterfall and the shelter of a Crystal Cavern. Mal realized she loved Ben in the old ruin of a stone gazebo. Ben/Mal short stories.
1. Chapter 1

**Just a short one-shot I wrote about the movie I LOVE so much, you people have no idea how much I adore this movie. People have said,"Where did Ben go while Mal was singing?" This is my attempt to answer that question.**

I let out my best beastly roar and jump into the lake. Mal's laugh is music to my ears right before I go under. I swim around for a while. I wanted to swim to the cavern behind the waterfall and get a magic rock for Mal. Mal...

As I sit in the little alcove of crystals I begin to realize something. I realize that Mal had put a love spell on me. But how? When? Why? And why aren't I mad at her? And why do I still feel love for her if it was all just a spell?

The spell must've been in that cookie. Mal manipulated me so easily that I could've laughed. She must've liked me but I was with Audrey so she spelled me, that must be it. As for the last two questions, maybe I didn't really need a jinxed cookie to have feelings for her. I just needed it to break up with Audrey.

That made me think back to a date with Audrey a week or two ago. She had started singing that song, the one that goes like "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream." When she had sung that, it made me think of a dream I had. The dream that triggered the idea of my proclamation. A dream of a girl with purple hair on the Isle of the Lost.

Oh, man I'm stupid. Mal is the girl with purple hair. This is a face palm and sigh moment if I ever had one.

I thought about Mal some more. Her personality, her background, her artwork, her middle name. I care about the children of the island, all of them, especially Mal. I care about her. I told her I loved her. And it was in this moment of deep thought in the crystal cavern that I realized that I meant everything I ever said to her, magic cookie or not.

"BEN!" I heard Mal shout. She can't see me from the old gazebo, I should probably go back.

I grabbed a magic rock and dove back into the water. As I swam below the surface, I could hear more shouts, but those were soon joined by splashes. I swam faster and came out from under Mal and carried her back to the gazebo. She had tried to save me, but she clearly didn't know how to swim.

"You can't swim?" I asked incredulously.

"No!" She shouted. She seemed really, really mad.

"But you live on an island," I stated. I figured everyone on the island would know how to swim.

"Yeah, with a barrier around it!" Mal said as though were obvious. If I thought about it, it really was obvious.

"But you tried to save me anyway," I observed. No doubt anymore. Mal cared for me, more then she would ever care to admit. I felt the same way, even without love spells or magic wish rocks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, so much for the whole "one-shot" idea, huh? I've received lots of good feedback, more so then any of my other stories, so I decided to continue Crystal Cavern as a collection of Ben/Mal short stories. I already have some ideas, so I'm ready to have fun** **with the Ben/Mal bug that's bitten me.**

Ben may be king, but he was still in school. He just only came to school in the morning for some mandatory classes and then went back to the castle after lunch to handle his kingly duties.

It was during lunch that Doug trusted Ben with something that even Beast would feel pressure in answering. But Ben was different, Ben was still sixteen and knew how to answer these sorts of questions.

Ben was sitting at a table with Jay, Carlos, Evie, Jane, Lonnie, and, of course, Mal. Doug usually joined them, but Doug hadn't made an appearance at the table with them yet. When he did, he didn't even sit down. He asked Ben,"Ben, could I talk to you alone for a moment?"

"Of course," Ben replied cheerfully."Excuse me," he added to his friends at the table.

Ben and Doug moved under a tall oak tree, a good way out of earshot of the group they had left."What is it you wish of me?" Ben asked formally. He always spoke formally when the situation seemed even slightly serious.

Doug took a deep breath."Advice," he said."I want some advice."

"On what?"

"I want to ask Evie out, but I don't exactly know how. I mean, I'm pretty sure things are done differently on the Isle, and the last time I asked was when they first got here and she didn't even answer because she was distracted by Chad. This was before he, you know, prejudiced against them."

"I don't think you need any advice, Doug," Ben concluded without a moment of thought."Evie doesn't like Chad anymore, she likes you, everyone can tell. Just ask her."

"Okay," Doug sighed."Okay. I will, but how did you get the courage to ask Mal out? You sort of did in front of the whole school at a Tourney game."

Ben opened his mouth to answer, but paused and then fell into fits of laughter. He tried to regain his composure, but failed each time he tried.

"What? What's so funny?" Doug asked.

Ben took a few deep breaths."Mal actually gave me a love spell before the game. The spell wore off while we were on our first date and I decided I meant everything I ever said and/or sang to her. I got my guts and courage from a magic cookie. But trust me, you won't need it."

"Thanks Ben," Doug said. As he walked off, he wondered about the school's It couple and how everyone wanted to be in a relationship like their's. How everyone thought they were the cutest thing to happen since Pongo and Perdita's 99 puppies."That must've some cookie," Doug muttered amusedly.


	3. Chapter 3

**This is a Once Upon a Dream song fic. I hope you like it.**

 **I am now taking requests for installments for this short story collection. Almost anything that might come to your mind, drop it in a review or send me a private message. I am taking REQUESTS. If you send me a full story all I can do is recommend that you post it yourself. I will give a shout out to you when I post your idea. My only request is that you keep the rating of what you want no higher then K+.**

"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream."

I asked who he was. He said I was his friend. I didn't believe him. Me: the girl with the purple hair and good-for-nothing mother could never be friends with some preppy prince with gorgeous eyes and wind swept hair. His jacket should never touch, let alone drape around, my pale shoulders. Once upon a dream...

"I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam."

The girl with the purple hair and electric green eyes pulled me out of the pit and disappeared before she could tell me her name. I was in a land filled to the brim with filth and grime. It had once been beautiful, but it was far from that now. The Isle of The Lost and Leftovers. Once Upon a Dream...

"Yet I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem."

Mal would never sit by an enchanted lake. Not without help from Ben. Ben would be king soon and could use that as an advantage. He'll save the children of the Isle of The Lost. These visions didn't come for no reason. Once Upon a Dream...

"But if I know you, I know what you'll do"

"I can look into your eyes, and I can tell that your not evil."

"I think I want to be good."

Once Upon a Dream...

"You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream."

"Or the day you show four peoples where the bathrooms are."

"Little bit over the top?"

"Little more then a little bit."

You can tell a lot about a couple from their first meeting. Whether it be in reality or Once Upon a Dream...


	4. Chapter 4

**Request from pinksakura271. I'm still taking requests! Drop it in a review or PM me! I'm working on other requests as well, they're on their way! If you also have any questions for me like favorite Disney movie or princess or villian or whatever, I'll gladly answer. And tell me anything you want about your favorites. I love hearing other people's opinions!**

"This isn't the most popular place in Auradon," Ben explained as he held the door open to a small cafe for Mal."But my parents have been taking me here for as long as I can remember. Everyone else seems to prefer Tiana's Place."

"Oh, I've seen that place," Mal said."The owners seem friendly but this place is more my style." She gestured to the walls as they sat down at a table for two."Exposed brick, dusty floors, non representational themed art..."

"And I see you've been paying attention in the art classes I signed you up for," Ben observed. Mal giggled.

"I'll go get us some coffee," Mal said. She cut Ben off when he opened his mouth to protest."Uh-uh, Your Highness. I'm paying this time." She then walked off to buy the drinks before Ben could argue.

Ben sighed and laughed to himself. He sensed someone standing over him and looked up, expecting to see Mal because there were no other customers in the place. But no. It was Audrey. One word ran through Ben's mind: Awkward.

"Hello Audrey," Ben greeted cheerfully."I hope you're having a fine day?" He didn't really wonder if she was or wasn't. But as King, he must be polite to everyone, even the people he might not particularly care for.

"I am, Ben, thank you," Audrey nodded."I actually wanted to tell you something."

"Oh?" Ben wondered what it could be.

"Yes. I've been thinking it over and I've decided to give you the chance to get back together with me!" Audrey cried in a perky manner.

Were Ben's ears duping him? Did Audrey really... What? "Give him the chance to get back together with her?" In what world does that make sense? Audrey was a bit of a selfish brat, but that's just because her mother smothered her and spoiled her. Ben knew and understood this, but that didn't stop the familiar feeling of boiling water rising in his chest.

His inherited short temper and beastly side was about to show himself. "Audrey, I..." Ben tried to calm himself, but the fact that Audrey had to do this while he was on a date with his real girlfriend, the only girlfriend he'd ever wish to have, enraged him. Infuriated, actually."NOOO!" That last part "accidentally" came as a beastly roar.

He was standing by then. Audrey seemed poker faced, but that slowly contorted into a mix of annoyance and anger. Her dark eyes sparked and she opened her mouth to say something.

"Woah, everyone calm down," Mal had appeared between them. She placed the drinks down on the table and then outstretched her arms to keep Audrey and Ben apart."Ben, there's really no need to get mad. I know you'd never leave me. And I'm sure Audrey didn't know we were on a date. So let's just. Calm. Down."

Ben did calm down. He blushed and smiled sheepishly at Mal. She grinned back. Her green eyes sparked too, but with happiness, not anger. One couldn't say the same about Audrey.

Audrey grabbed a fistful of Mal's purple hair and shoved her into the table and stated,"No one asked your opinion, Dragon Spawn!"

Ben could've still remained calm if Audrey pulled Mal's hair. Ben could've still remained calm if Audrey shoved Mal into a table. Heck, Ben could've still remained calm if Audrey had done anything in her hissy fit. Anything except call Mal "Dragon Spawn."

Dragons were dangerous, vile creatures. The only good dragons Ben knew of was Mushu and Elliot. But Maleficent was no Elliot. Audrey knew this. Ben knew this. And Mal certainly knew this. Ben knew that Mal visited her mother's terrarium often and Mal would talk to her, try to teach her about love just by showing affection. No one talked about Maleficent. It made Mal super angry. Like, undo your hair angry.

"Dragon Spawn" was a terrible insult. Why? Because it attacked something personal. It would be like calling Ben a monster or Doug a dope. Like calling Evie ugly or Carlos a devil.

That insult was the last straw for Ben."Audrey," he growled."Please. I have to ask you to leave the Mal alone. Treat her like an equal." Audrey was silent. So was Mal."If you're mad, then take your anger out on me. This is about you and me, not Mal. So leave her out of this. Have a good rest of your day. You may go." Audrey obliged.

Mal's eyes had been glowing a sparkling neon green color. Dragon eyes. The most beautiful eyes Ben had ever seen. They softened to their normal color."Thanks." She said.

"It was my pleasure," Ben said. He took her hand in his and they sat. They sipped their coffee and talked. He asked why she only drank black coffee and she told him about the goblins' coffee shop on the Isle of The Lost. Business as usual.


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm still taking requests. Yes it takes a while for chapters to be posted. This is all just a hobby. I have other priorities. Speaking of which... I WAS CAST IN MY SCHOOL'S PRODUCTION OF BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR! I'm so excited! I'm castle ensemble and flatware. My friend is also that and my other friend is that and the enchantress and my other friend is Narrator 3 and other friend is a Be our Guest dancer and a wolf. The three Silly Girls are amazing! They were some of the Von Trapp sisters last year in Sound of Music so they play off each other really well and none of this matters to you... I'll shut up now. This chapter was requested by Guest and Ember411. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!**

"Is it just me, or did a fairy throw up everywhere?" Mal asked her friends. They had gone to bed the night before and woke to find the whole school decorated in red, green, white, reindeer, sparkles, and statues of a chubby dude in a red and white suit.

"This is so weird," Carlos agreed.

"Good morning! Merry Christmas!" Ben called from across the room. He walked over to them.

"What's 'Christmas?'" Jay asked. Clearly unamused.

Ben and everyone around them stood in awkward silence looking sullen. Fairy Godmother, who had been hanging some gold garlands on a stair rail, swooped in to save the day."Allow me to explain," she said and led Mal, Jay, Carlos, and Evie to her office to talk.

Ben watched them leave and then returned to helping everyone decorate while deep in thought. He could picture him and Mal in front of a fire while he told her tales of his past Christmas. That's what he wanted for Christmas, he knew then.

About an hour later, the ex-villains-in-training returned to the quad. Ben was waiting he led Mal away separately with a surprise in mind.

"So how do you like Christmas?" He asked as they walked together.

"It sounds like fun, but will take some getting used to," Mal stated thoughtfully.

"Did Fairy Godmother explain all the traditions we have here?" Ben asked.

"Some of them," Mal then went on to list the ones she'd been told of."The tree, the gifts, the mass, the dinner, the reindeer, the nativity, the naughty and nice list... No wonder we never celebrated Christmas, we were pretty much born on the naughty list."

"But it's different now," Ben reminded her, taking her hand in his. Her hands were smaller than his. It reminded him of his parents."Do you know what this is?" He was pointing to a little plant above their heads taped to the door frame.

"Of course," Mal said. Ben looked hopeful but then wilted due to what Mal said next. "Mistletoe. A deadly poison."

"Well, yes, but we use it differently here in Auradon." Mal looked skeptical and suspicious."Let me show you," Ben offered.

Merry Christmas, Mal thought as she discovered her new favorite Christmas tradition.


	6. Chapter 6

**Happy Vantine's Day! This was requested by pinksakura271. I won't be taking more requests as of now, but I'll let you know when I do. I hope you had good day! If you're in a relationship that you went on an awesome date and if you're single you did something just as great. I watched Teen Wolf and Star Wars Episode IV and I'm facetiming my best friend later. Then it's Youth Mass tonight. All in all a good day. Enjoy!**

"Are you disappointed?" Evie asked Mal for the quadrillionth time that morning.

"Evie, I told you. I'm fine," Mal insisted."Where's my brush?"

"Not even a little?" Evie pried a tad bit more as she tossed the hair brush across the room to Mal."Could you pass me my lip gloss?"

"Yeah, okay, maybe a little," Mal admitted as she passed Evie the gloss.

"Not that one," Evie said."The other one." Mal held up another. Evie shook her head."The other one." Mal made another attempt."The one I'm pointing at." Evie said exasperatedly.

"Oh for the love of- here!" Mal sighed.

"Thank you," Evie said kindly."Now what were you saying about how disappointed you were about Ben being too busy with his king stuff and not being able to take you out on Valentine's Day?"

"Well, I mean, it'll just be like my other Valentine's, but still. It was supposed to be my first Valentine's Day going out with a guy instead of throwing darts at pictures of guys," Mal said, finally showing that she was a little upset."But it doesn't matter. You go out with Doug and have the best time humanly possible and I'll go hang out with... With..." Mal trailed off, trying to think of someone that was free that day, but failed."I guess I'll be hanging out with my sketchbook and pencil. I've been meaning to work on my landscapes and the place that Ben and I went to on our first date is perfect."

"Okay, have fun," Evie said sympathetically. She checked herself in the mirror one more time."I have to go meet up with Doug now. I'll be back here tonight, alright? We can watch a movie."

"Not a chick flick?" Mal pretended to barf.

"Of course not, we'll watch one of your disgusting sci fi movies," Evie promised.

Mal gave Evie a hug."Thanks," she said."Now go. Have fun."

"What do you mean, "I'm free?"" Ben asked Lumiere.

"What I mean sir, is that all your meetings and duties have either been rescheduled or canceled. You have the day off."

Ben was very confused, to say the least. He'd canceled plans with his girlfriend just to hear that he actually could be spending the day with her? What the heck!

As he exited the building, Doug and Evie were waiting on the sidewalk. "Uh, hi?" Ben said uncertainly.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Doug said."We cleared your schedule by convincing the people you had meetings with to reschedule. Now go have fun with your girlfriend. She's at the pond."

"But-"

"GO!" Evie and Doug shouted.

When Ben made it to the pond, he saw Mal sitting on the floor of the old stone gazebo with her legs stretched out in front of her, her purple hair blowing in the breeze, and her pencil moving swiftly across the paper. Ben smiled at the sight. He snuck up behind her and covered her eyes."Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered gently.

Mal entered the dorm room and leaned against the door, sighing."Have fun?" Evie asked from where she sat on her bed, wrapped up in her (Evie original) pink, silk, robe.

"Ben told me what you and Doug did," Mal said graciously."Thank you. I owe you one."

"You do," Evie agreed. She held up a movie with a lovey dovey couple on the cover."I'm calling in that favor now."

"Ugh! Evie! Chick flicks are so sappy and pointless and the characters are so stupid when comes to love!"

"So are you," Evie pointed out. "Come on, it's Valentine's Day. Have a heart."


End file.
